Dusk of Verias
by Pegasus Knight Salvo
Summary: Background srtory to Veriasian Battlefields, this fictional continent is Verias, the shattered isles of a once singular land mass. New characters emerge to delve into a history of a new land.
1. Chapter 1

**Fire Emblem: Dusk of Verias**

**Chapter One: Fall of Haddas**

A hundred Isles surrounded by an endless scenery of sapphire waves with hints of teal, the sky echoing the color as best as it could possibly could; a blue clearer than any crystal. Strong arid winds came swirling from the south however, creating a much more desolate climate than one would think of this hidden paradise. These Islands, bound together by pacts forged in blood and comradeship, is the land of Verias.

Verias, the broken continent, made of a hundred Isles. The land had once been in great turmoil with each island fighting its neighbor…many had died for the cause of glory to their island…but many more died by the evils of the legion of monsters lead by a giant of a man, a pirate lord of the Exiled Isle of Shale. He had been given many a name, but the one most known throughout history is Vladamir…He had gained control of the islands of Verias and began his tyranny that would simply be known as the Nightmare.

Soon, however, five warriors would be known as the Enlightened Ones. Each hailed from a different Isle but all of then joined together along with their fellow comrades. They stormed the Castle of the largest Isle, Bezoa. In a bloody week long siege, Vladamir was thrown from the highest castle spire, his body breaking upon the rocks below. The Monster controlling tyrant was no more…The five warriors returned to their respective Isle, to convince their people and their neighbors to all rally under their tutelage.

Gannon, the headstrong General from the small southernmost Isle of Volsci, would become a great leader of a country to be called Marshel, the people known for their fearlessness and determination.

Aero, the serene Wyvern Lord from the volcanic eastern Isle of Raja would become the charismatic queen of the new country of Zephyr, known for their mounted knights who sail the skies.

Verdandi, the pious Valkyrie from the stormy northern Isle of Klein, would be hailed as the empress of the just formed country of Naia, where magic wielders live idyllic lives.

Uthur, the gentle Paladin from the western desert Isle of Vanir, would accept responsibility for the nation of Haddas, where the hardiest of people thrive.

And finally, Riverra, the quiet Sniper hailing from the central Isle of Bezoa. The people revered him as the creator of Seras, the country whose people were unsurpassed in the ways of the bow.

Twenty years had passed since the Nightmare had ended, twenty years of thriving civilization with no sightings of monsters or major conflict of any kind. But an evil breeze whispers of dark tidings to come, the time of the resurrection of the Nightmare has been reached and those who were loyal to Vladamir will take up arms once again to shatter the hopes and dreams of the living…starting with the Enlightened Ones. Strange ships enter the main port of Haddas, the reasons for their arrival shrouded in uncertainty and edged with the sour taste of death, though to whom this death would be aimed toward remains unseen, the darkness begins its march to former glory here.

Our story begins here.

Port Dias, the capital city of Haddas, the desert Isle of Vanir, with its majestic buildings made of sandstone, worn down by sandstorms and failed past attempts to claim the Jewel of the West during the Nightmare twenty years ago. The streets were bustling with activity with merchants peddling their wares, with music filling the streets with an air of celebration spun by the traveling bards and minstrels, the music being interpreted into movement by the dancers whose sensual gyrations charmed many a man out of more than a few gold pieces. It was Prince Lissom's nineteenth birthday and the people's love of their King and his son were the triggers for such a celebration, but the guest of honor was not present, not even for his own holiday feast at the Castle.

Instead, Lissom was helping travelers delivering supplies to villages in need of supplies they could not produce themselves. It was not that he openly disliked the attention; it was that he believed he was not yet worthy of such frivolity. Thus, the son of Uthur, King of Haddas was toiling in the desert in guise as a mounted guard assigned to protect the supply line. With a turban to protect his head and a mask to protect his nose and mouth from sand the young man blended in with the rest of the group.

He looked at the expanse of sand to the east where the village they were delivering the goods to would soon be visible. The air shimmered with heat and the prince blinked a few times, shaking his head. _Now is not the time to be seeing illusions. With the sun's location where it is now, I judge we'll arrive before nightfall, barring any interruptions… _Lissom thought to himself as he turned his chestnut horse around to return to the ranks of the slowly moving supply line which consisted of ten people leading mules loaded with vital supplies, including tools needed by the village Blacksmith, whom Lissom knew well.

"Ware! Something approaches from the south!" The other guard called out, snapping Lissom out of his thoughts. Lissom turned to the south and saw small shapes closing the distance between them and himself.

"Understood, Captain Clifton!" Lissom replied, readying his lance, a lightweight shaft of hollow metal with a solid iron head, counterbalanced with a solid end cap on the opposite side of the iron lance. His horse tossed its head, chomping at the bit and stamping its hooves; clearly the horse was as anxious as its rider.

The Captain, a paladin like the prince's father, had a silver sword in his hand but unlike Lissom, instead of a turban, the man had a headband instead to wick the sweat out of his eyes. The man's sun bleached hair was slick with sweat, clinging to his face as he urged his black horse forward, next to Lissom. "Sire, remember your training and if this gets violent, you should fare well. What you have there is a lance, so you have an advantage over swords." He spoke in a low tone to his prince and student.

Lissom nodded his head impatiently. "Yeah, yeah, I know! You drilled that into me ages ago!"

"If you understand everything, you must be misinformed, but we shall see…" Clifton chuckled and motioned Lissom to follow. Together, they charged the oncoming figures. Three rugged looking men plowed their way through the sand to meet them.

"Give us the goods and we'll think about letting you live!" The head man yelled at them, brandishing a lance.

"Good grief! You mean you can actually think?" Lissom exclaimed.

"Lissom…" Clifton warned, but the huge brute of a man who was the head of the three roared in anger. "Bring me back their heads, men!" The other two charged forth, one wielding a sword, and the other an axe.

Lissom whistled and urged his horse forward into a run across the sand. "Leave this to me, Captain Clifton!" He charged forth with a yell, running straight at man with the axe. He lowered his lance and struck…nothing but air. He ran right past, wheeled around, only to have the axe the man had hurled at him from what Lissom thought was a safe distance. The axe grazed his shoulder, cutting through cloth and biting into his flesh. He yelped in surprise at both being hit by the axe and the fact that he had been quite a bit away from the man who wielded the axe.

"You fool! Axes beat lances, did you forget? You must remember the weapon triangle!" Clifton shouted. His horse reared into the air, kicking its front hooves out as Clifton spun his blade and raised his sword into the air, pointing it at the axe wielding man. The horse churned its legs through the sand as it powered thunderously toward the brigand. Before the brigand had a chance to defend himself, the Captain mowed through, slashing fiercely at the man. The man fell to the ground with a thud that only a corpse's dead weight could make.

"So swords beat axes…right. Got it" Lissom replied his voice almost hushed as he watched his teacher take down the brigand so skillfully.

"You alright, sire?" Clifton called out in concern.

Lissom nodded. "I am well enough, Captain. It is nothing that a Vulnerary can't fix!" He replied as he pulled down his mask, searching his pack and taking out a small brown bottle quickly taking off the lid, downing the healing liquid and sighed as he felt the pain subside and his bleeding staunch. By the time he was ready to fight, the next foe was almost upon him, leaving Lissom with barely enough time to ready his lance. The swordsman slashed at him with his blade, but Lissom's horse reared out of the way, answering with a quick stab of his lance in return, smiling triumphantly to himself, a flash of white teeth against his tanned skin.

His strike did not kill the man, but his somewhat poorly aimed strike did incapacitate the swordsman, tearing the muscles in the sword arm needed to hold the weapon.

"It seems that you have actually put some of your teachings to use, Lissom!" Clifton sounded somewhat pleased for once, relieved that his pupil knew at least the rudimental skills of the lance, returning his attention to the final enemy, the leader. "If we take him out…consider this skirmish won!"

The leader, however, dropped his weapon and turned tail, fleeing before he could meet the fate of his men. The injured man hobbled off after his leader. Lissom looked at the Captain. "Do we follow them…?"

Clifton shook his head in negation. "There is no need to. Our mission is to guarantee the safety of the others above all else. Let us return to the line; we'll probably have to catch up with them, if they moved on like they're supposed to"

Lissom returned the mask to its original position with inclination of his head to show he understood. "Yeah…but what about the dead man?"

"The sand shall become his coffin. Leave him be. We've no time to waste, Prince Lissom" The two then turned to follow their tracks to come back to their positions as guards of the line.

By the time they rejoined the line, the sun had almost fallen completely to the west, causing strange shadows to be cast by sand dunes around the expanse. The heads of the mules and horses were drooped, exhausted as Lissom and Captain Clifton trudged through the sand on foot, leading their horses toward the village of Thyra, the heat of the sun fading as the moon began to rise up in the sky to show to all its pale glory, a slim wedge against the starred navy curtain of the night approaching sky.

"Captain Clifton! Captain Clifton…!" A faint voice cut through the quiet like a knife. Lissom and Clifton whirled around to see a Cavalier and a Pegasus Knight racing towards them.

"State your names and purpose!" Clifton commanded, wiping his brow with the back of his gloved hand, his headband having ultimately failed in its purpose to keep the salty sweat out of his eyes. Lissom looked at the two arrivals and recognized one of them instantaneously. "Wait...! Lithia is that you…? It IS you, Lithia!" He exclaimed, his sea foam eyes widening was the only sign of surprise that could be seen.

The rider of the Pegasus motioned for her mount to land, and hopped off, not immediately recognizing Lissom. The Cavalier dismounted his brown horse and sighed in relief. "Am I ever glad to see you, Captain! I am He—"

"Helio!"

"Who is that interrupter, Captain? I've half a mind to shut his yapping!" The cavalier retorted angrily. Lissom abandoned his mask and pulled it away from his face, his expression a very annoyed scowl. "Helio, you blasted arse! Is that how you treat your best friend?"

"Li-Lissom! You're h-here?"

Clifton raised a hand and everyone fell silent. The supply train all had their eyes on Lissom, who resisted the urge to squirm. "Yes, it is Lissom, and why he is here is not important. Like I asked, state your purpose."

Helio's expression turned to one of dismay. "Sirs…I have grave news. Port Dias has been taken…King Uthur…has been killed" His voice fell in the dead silence that followed. Lissom was the first to respond. "I'm sorry friend…that is the worst joke that I have ever heard in my life!" He crossed his arms across his chest and waited for his friend to retract his statement, but his dismissive expression slowly fell as Helio hung his head miserably.

Lithia, the Pegasus knight, looked saddened as well. "Lissom, it is the truth. Port Dias has been taken by the Shale Pirates, and to save the people, your father became a martyr…"

Clifton growled savagely upon hearing that which was responsible. "Blast! Those Shale dogs have been planning something, but I could not have predicted this!"

"…my sister…"

"Lissom?" The others turned to face Lissom, who had fallen quiet.

Lissom looked at Lithia and Helio, his expression clear of any emotion. "Gabriella…is she all right?" He repeated his voice edged with tension that was tangible. Lithia looked like she had been dealt a physical blow. "I-I don't know how to say this, but…"

"So not only have they taken my home from me, but they had to take my Father and my little sister as well…"

Clifton took a step forward, probably to comfort his pupil, but Lissom shook his head. "Don't. Instead, a-answer me a question…" Lissom's voice and stature began to waver, his resolve crumbling like sand.

Clifton hesitantly took a step back, his expression one of concern. "What is your question, Prince Lissom?"

Lissom looked Clifton straight in the eyes showing his uncertainty, which was threatening to drown himself into a stupor. "Why? What did I do to deserve this…? What did my people do wrong to bring this upon ourselves?"

Only silence answered him.

_Please…Read, Review, and…um…have a good day? I wasn't quite sure where to end the chapter, so I ended it where a friend of mine showed me. Sorry if this is a jumbled mess…most of my writing is anyway…my apologies for wasting your time._

_Depending how this chapter goes, there may be a second one or not._

_I do not own Fire Emblem, or this would not be fan fiction…_

_This is Pegasus Knight Salvo, signing off for now._


	2. Chapter 1x

**Chapter One x: Knight of Despair**

_Around the same time the Crown Prince of Haddas found out of the fate of his family, the Castle of Dias resisted the attempts of burning ruin with desperate vigor. It was at this time when hope began to stir, amidst this darkness, as if there was a glimmer of light trying to prove that there were those who cherished the darkness, yet also had a human heart knowing of the emotions of compassion and conscience. _

_ The son born in the darkness of the Nightmare; the child of the demon Vladamir; born in such deep darkness that he was physically blinded by the evil of his father. His name was a curse upon the lips of the people of the Shale. Weak for showing mercy on his enemies, his name…was Noir. _

The scent of ash and burning flesh covered the city like a moth eaten blanket, the sounds of screams and cries for mercy countered with maniacal laughter and the sounds of metal tearing through weeping people was a soundtrack of the pain of Dias. Barbarians and brigands swept through the streets quickening the rate of death in the area with their rusted blades and axes.

A young child, just a little girl, came dashing down an alley, her expression one of pure fear. She barreled past a figure who melded into the darkness unseen. The girl reached a dead end at the end of the alley and turned to face the road, her back against the wall, those in pursuit of her stopped, fully knowing her location. They began to walk toward her, but the man in the shadows stepped in front of them. The brigands halted momentarily, recognizing the man's face.

"Get out of the way, boy! That girl is the princess of Haddas! We already killed her double, but we've been ordered to kill the real one!"

"…No." The man said with a sigh, brushing his raven black hair out of his blankly staring milky white eyes. The brigands growled angrily, taking a step forward in unison. "Boy, you are meddling in the affairs of something much grater than the weak son of the Master! If you do not get out of the way, we have no qualms of cutting you down!"

The young man frowned grimly. "The air smells of blood, but tonight my own shall not join it. Nor will any more of the young girl's" A black tome appeared in the man's hand, the book open and emitting a dark aura. The young man's other hand was held out toward the closest brigand. "_Nosferatu"_ His whispered spell drifted across the ears of the man in front of him.

The man paled as he recognized the spell, trying to back up in fear, but the dark magic began to take root at once. Dark light surrounded the man as he clutched at his neck, unable to breathe. A couple heartbeats later, he was on his knees and a few more after that, he was on the ground, his face turning blue from suffocation. At the last moment the spell dissipated, leaving the man gasping for breath that had been taken from him moments before. As the others helped the man to his feet, the young man rushed past them, the young girl in his arms vanishing into the darkness hidden by the young man's black cloak.

"Damn that Noir! He's got the princess!"

"We gotta go after him!"

"…you go first; I'm not going anywhere near that book of his!"

The young man called Noire did not stop running until heard the sounds of the city began to fade. He set the girl down, wheezing for breath, clutching at his chest in agony. His breaths came shallow and fast as he slumped to the ground next to the girl. After a few painful minutes, his breathing rate slowed, calming himself down little by bit.

"…mister?"

The young man froze and he turned to face her, his nerves taut like the string of a bow. "…what do you want?" his voice was distant, almost cold.

The young princess hugged her knees to her chest, looking at him with wide eyes. "Why did you help me? You're one of the bad guys!"

"…where are we?"

"You didn't answer my question!" The princess pouted the expression completely unseen by Noir.

"You answer my question, I'll think about answering yours." His right hand dug into the sandy dune, coming up with a handful before letting it slip between his fingers and fall to the sand below.

"We're just outside of the city gates. For all your heavy breathing when we stopped, you didn't run very far…"

"My strength is in my mind, not my body, brat!" He scowled, folding his arms across his chest, glaring blankly in the girl's direction.

"The name's Gabriella, weakling! Show some respect! I'm the princess of Haddas! You hurt me, and my big brother will punish you!"

"I am a weakling, I'll admit that, but I'd prefer the name…Aile. And punish me? How old is he, two?"

"He's nineteen, as of today! And you STILL haven't replied to my question!"

Noir got to his feet, stretching his arms in front of him. "Well, _brat,_ I'm still trying to figure that one out. Do you know where your brother is, Gabriella?"

Gabriella shrugged. "He said something about Thyra…"

"Where is it?"

"East"

"Good. I'll take you there, and then take my leave. Because of you, I'm probably going to be branded a traitor. The only other thing for me to do would be to turn myself in…"

"Aisle…huh? Aile! Men are coming! They're scary!" She cried out. Noir whirled around; trying to pinpoint the location of the men, but the sand muffled their footsteps. "Gabriella! Be my eyes! Tell me where they are and I'll hold them off!"

"You're facing them! Why do you need me to be your eyes?"

"My vision is…lacking, as in none at all. Now be my eyes or both of us are dead!" Noir held his hands in front of him, the sand in front of him pulsing darkly. Out of the circle of darkness a ghostly figure of a man appears, brandishing a blade menacingly.

Gabriella gasped her hands over her mouth in shock; she had heard of the dark arts of Summoning before, but had not seen it with her own eyes before. She remembered what he had said and called out. "The closest baddie is in front of you, to the left a bit!"

Noir, under alias of Aile, commanded the phantom to go in the direction that Gabriella told him. Without pausing, he summoned another phantom. "Next!"

His first phantom attacked the man first, slashing with a rusted sickle like sword, catching the man across the chest. The man tried to counter with his axe, but the phantom danced out of the way, charging in to finish the job.

It was two against five, and the odds were in the greater number's favor, though they would soon learn to fear the abilities of the Summoner under the name of Aile.

Just when the tides turned, a well aimed arrow found home in Noir's shoulder, just below his collarbone. With a grunt he tore out the wooden shaft, turning his attention to the direction of where the arrow had come from. Dark energy swirled around him like an angry swarm; he pointed his arms in the direction of the archer and practically roared as he felt the power of the dark magic flow through him, he was a conductor and his magic was his music. _"NOSFERATU!"_

Again he had the life of his victim in his hands; he could sense the pulse of his target the energy and vitality of his foe being drained and flowing into his own self. When he felt the pulse of his foe weaken, his spell ended before a life could be taken.

Gabriella yelling at him to turn to face her direction, his blind eyes questioning, she was shouting at him to look out, and a heavy shove from behind caused him to stumble, tripping over his own feet, and fell to the ground. He rolled onto his back, preparing a quick spell, but a heavy foot came crashing down on his chest, crushing the breath out of his body

"So you're a turncoat, huh?" The man who caught Noir off guard laughed. Noir desperately tried to get free, felt his ribs starting to give in to the pressure. The man continued to gloat his victory. "You put up a hell of a fight, taking down four of my men! After I'm done with you, I'll kill that girl next!"

Noir felt the man shift, getting ready for the final blow, but it was not to come. He heard something whirl through the air and hit home, the pressure increasing somewhat as the man fell on top of the Summoner. Noir struggled for what seemed to be an eternity, but eventually rolled the heavy man off of him. He gratefully inhaled a deep lungful of air, not caring how his ribs ached. He reached around him for his book, but his hand brushed across the dead man, finding the cause of his death as it faded away. As a last ditch attempt to save its caller, one of his remaining phantoms threw its blade at the man, the blade piercing the man's spine.

"I-I've got your book, Aile…" his acquaintance the princess spoke. Noir felt the familiar weight of the tome press into his hands. He nodded gratefully as he staggered to his feet, waving his arm with a mutter, dispelling his surviving phantoms.

"Thanks for being my eyes, Princess. If you had gotten hurt, you brother supposedly would have punished me, the frail weakling…" He stated flatly, beginning to walk off.

"Even if you were dead he'd still punish you!

"….."

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"…Thyra"

"Thyra is to the EAST, dummy!"

"Dummy? How old are you, three?"

"I'm TWELVE!"

"Two, twelve, its all the same to me, you brat…!" He changed direction and stomped off in the opposite direction, east. Six paces into his walk, he felt a dizziness overcome him, and noticed a pounding in his head that had gone unnoticed earlier. He shook off the feeling of nausea and continued on, the Princess following him.

"Princess, are we there yet?"

"Now who's the two year old?"

"…Hold on. There are people ahead…they mean trouble."

"Huh?"

"I can smell the darkness on them…It seems as though they are no longer those of the living…"

"They're headed to Thyra!"

"Then we follow"

Gabrielle whimpered and shook her head. "Nu-Uh! Dead people are scary!"

Noir frowned. "If you are not able to go under your own power, then I shall carry you"

"You can't! Weakling!" She ran ahead to prove her superiority, in her mind at least.

"…I seriously don't know why I saved her…All she's good at is insulting me…" The ache in his head increased as he walked after her, dizziness soon to follow. It would seem that the arrowhead was still lodged in his shoulder, and that he was responding negatively to the poison coating…

The prince's group had finally reached the village of Thyra a couple hours into the night, the crickets singing their lullabies and the owls hooting their melancholy calls. The heavy air of despair and loss hung over the young prince Lissom, his shoulders slumped and his eyes on the ground. Accompanying him was his milk brother and best friend, Helio, and Lithia-the young Pegasus Knight who was of the land of Haddas' greatest ally, Zephyr. Keeping a close eye on everyone was the Captain of the royal knights of Haddas, Clifton, whose eyes drifted over the travelers that he and the prince were escorting. The travelers bid the captain and bowed to the prince deeply before turning and rushing to their homes and families. "Sire, may I suggest that we go to the inn…? You look like you need some rest" Clifton looked at his student, who just stood where he was, staring blankly at the travelers greeted by their loved ones with open arms.

"I believe I am fine, Captain. You are dismissed to do as you wish." Lissom stated rather coldly, turning and walking to the edge of the town, gazing in the direction which they had come from.

"But si—"

"I said that I am fine!" Lissom turned to face the Captain with a half wild look in his eye that abated a second later. "It's just that…I need to be alone for a while. You get your rest, Captain. That is an order not to be disobeyed."

"…yes sire" With a sigh of defeat, Clifton turned and walked over to Helio and Lithia. "We're to rest at the inn, by command by prince Lissom" He told them.

Helio shrugged, his red hair looking like flame in the moonlight. "I don't really feel like resting, after today's events…but it's not like we'll be attacked, right?"

Lithia nodded curtly in agreement. "Allow me to put your mind at ease. Allow me to circle above the village on Gardenia. If I see anything, I shall call it to your attention. I should be able to do this without complaint by the prince for I am not one of Haddas' soldiers, therefore his commands are nullified in my case."

Clifton inclined his head, but his expression was puzzled. "I have meant to ask…Lithia, why are you here? I thought you were going to Raja to undergo the trial of the Falcoknight…"

"I saw those ships dock at Diaz as I was about to leave, and curiosity compelled me to stay. Until then, I had not recognized a Shale flag before…by the time I tried to warn the Knights, it was too late. Gardenia nearly got shot down by ballistae" She shuddered at the memory, closing her brown eyes briefly. She whistled softly and her mount trotted up beside her. Without waiting for a reply, she jumped into the saddle and launched up into the sky, her Pegasus beating its pure white wings powerfully.

Helio and Clifton walked into the inn and were completely caught off guard by a squeal of delight. "Oh! Oooooh! Cliffy!" A girl tackled the Captain in a hug. The girl laws almost of age and her energy seemed boundless. She saw Helio and glared angrily. "Who are you? I don't know you!" she growled.

Clifton shook his head with a sigh. "Helio, this is my daughter, Rhaea. Rhaea, this is one of my soldiers, Helio"

Helio bowed politely. "An honor to meet you, m'lady" He said respectively in a teasing, yet polite manner. Rhaea gasped, blushing brightly as she fled the main entrance, vanishing from their sight. Clifton chuckled, amused. "She's quite shy around strangers, but her skill with a bow is like nothing I've ever seen…"

"She doesn't look strong enough to even hold one…"

"She's much, much stronger than she looks, just like her mother, rest her soul…"

"How did she…?"

"She passed on giving childbirth to my sweet little angel" Clifton's expression was tender, yet pain remembering his beloved's passing flickered across his face. Clifton then went to the innkeeper, and conversed with the man in a low voice that could not reach Helio's ear.

After the two seemed to come to an agreement, the Captain turned to Helio. "We've got the whole top floor to ourselves. Choose a room you like, and then get a good res—" He was cut off by the village's warning bell. He and Helio's hands went automatically to the hilts of their blades.

"The prince is still out there!" Helio exclaimed.

The Captain nodded and the two ran outside, into the middle of the street. Lithia swooped down and hovered in the air above them. "There are things out there! People who have died but still walk are coming this way!"

Clifton's eyes widened. "Monsters…blast it! We've no time to fortify our position!"

Helio went as white as a sheaf of paper. "M-monsters? But how…?"

"Never mind that! We must find and protect the prince!"

"…I'm right here" Prince Lissom ran up to them, his eyes narrow with anger. "There is only one way that this filth could walk these lands…the Relic of the West, the Tear of the Sun, was destroyed!"

"I-It cannot be!"

"It can and has been, Captain. Make sure the villagers are safe; Lithia and I will hold them off until you make sure of the safety of the people" He stated and turned toward the southern part of town, breaking into a run with his iron lance in hand.

Clifton looked at Lithia. "Make sure he's safe" Lithia raised her slim, yet deadly lance in salute and took off in pursuit of the prince of Haddas.

"Everyone, stay indoors until the threat has been dealt with!" Clifton bellowed for all to hear, his experience in gaining attention of his men paying off. The villagers, who had strayed outside, hurried back into their homes, peering out the windows in fear mixed with curiosity.

Helio looked at his Captain "Why did you agree to let Lissom take up the front lines?"

"Do you know of the Tear of the Sun? What it was?"

"…no?"

"It was King Uthur's right eye. He had lost his eye during the Nightmare. The Tear of the Sun is an incredibly powerful relic that repels all that is unholy. It can be hidden as an ordinary eye with the correct spell"

"What does Lissom have to do with this?"

"Not many know of the twin of the Sun Relic, the Tear of the Moon. Do you remember when Lissom got injured in the archery tourney, his left eye miraculously recovering from a gash of a glanced cut of an arrow?"

"No, you don't mean…!"

"Yes, Lissom's left eye has been replaced…by the Tear of the Moon. The Moon Relic is not as powerful as the Sun Relic…but its power makes Lissom more than a match against the Unholy"

Lissom charged out of the town, muttering to himself under his breath, touching the pupil of his left eye. Normally, if a normal person would try this, they would only succeed in poking their eye out, but Lissom's left eye could hardly be considered 'normal' he blinked his eyes and his whole left eye turned brilliant silver; a magic circle written in a black ink could be seen on the Tear of the Moon. His vision changed subtly; his replacement eye which was not an eye had been magicked to work like one. When in this state, his vision was covered in a thin transparent layer of silver, eliminating the shadows and revealing all manner of sorts of hidden things.

His lip curled in disgust and anger when he saw the hideous creatures before him. He recognized some of them as his own friends, but now they were friends no longer, as he scanned the walking dead, his eyes were drawn to one individual. He felt his heart tighten and fill with rage.

Leading the force of the Monsters…was the fresh corpse of his own father.

_*sigh* Chapter Two is done…finally. Not as good as Chapter One, but it will have to do for now. What do you think of the new characters…? Noir is fun to write, and fun to draw, though his personality certainly is a bit cynical…Read…Review…and have a good nap. I know I will. ***yawn* Sorry if this chapter was a little on the boring side ^^'**_

_**I DO NOT OWN FIRE EMBLEM**_

_^-double underline-^ This is SERIOUS!_

…_if I did, then the world would end. _

_Seriously. _

_Seriously AND Truly. _

_No one understands my humor. Hmph!_

Salvo, Signing OFF!


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Marshel's Aid**

_Marshel, the southern nation of Verias, home to the fearless and birthplace of great determination. Gannon, head of this nation, has had troops monitoring Shale's movements for quite some time. Even as Port Dias burned, two ships docked here. Leading the charge was the son of the lord of Marshel, known to all as Keyran. Known for his brilliant mind and tactical knowledge, he had but one flaw. _

_ Keyran was dying. An illness that leaves him coughing up blood, he has been fighting this illness since he was little. His father, being too proud to accept aid from Naia the northern nation, has invariably signed Keyran's death warrant. _

_ Still, even with knowledge of his coming end, the young prince finds himself fighting to help his friend and ally, Lissom. The only problem is that the Haddasian prince is not to be found. Gabriella, Lissom's sister, is also missing. _

_ Keyran leaves the taking of Dias to his second in command, a Knight known as Jameson, and leads a search party to venture out into the sands of Haddas. _

They did not have to look far in order to track the prince down. The tracks in the sand were easy enough to read, and they all seemed to be heading in one particular direction. The desert wind ruffled Keyran's snow white hair. Many had said that he looked like a ghost at night, with his pallor and hair. Even his eyes were colorless, they were soft silver orbs.

"They must be heading to the village of Thyra…" He said as he stood up from his crouching position. Many a time had he and Lissom adventured out into the sands, searching for imaginary treasure, fighting off invisible bandits. But that was years ago, but the memories were still fresh in Keyran's mind.

One of the two soldiers accompanying Keyran looked at him questioningly. She was a Myrmidon, a lithe wielder of the blade. "Sire, why are you so sure it's Thyra they're headed towards…?"

Keyran sighed and shook his head. "I am not one hundred percent certain, but there is only one village in this general location. Considering that he either fled or is unknowing of the fall of his kingdom, that is where he would go first, if he needed to stock up on supplies. Surely, Samsara, you should have known as such. Did you not remain awake during your geography classes?"

Samsara, the Myrmidon, flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "N-no…! I-I mean….um….well, yeah. They're way too dull!"

The other member of the search party burst out laughing. "Blimey, 'Sara! You? Sleep? Bwahahahaha! I'd pay to see that happen!"

"Shut up!"

"You know you love me, I know you do!"

Keyran motioned for them to quiet and they both quieted, looking at their prince in curiosity. "What in the name of all things holy…are those things…?" He was standing atop a sand dune in front of them and motioned for them to approach. As the two did, their jaws dropped slightly as they gazed upon corpses…that seemed to be moving of their own volition.

"Gaven! Do you know what these are?"

"I read only what I have…acquired. These things…they're from legends of yore. I…I cannot believe that they're here!"

Keyran drew his rapier with his left hand. "Can they be killed?"

"According to the book I have read, they are known as Revenants, basically the undead. They are strong, but they can be taken down."

"Then we attack."

Samsara turned to face her superior, her expression one of panic. "B-but…! Oh, FINE! Let us go fight undead creatures that are supposed to by MYTH!"

"I didn't say myth. They were around at the time of the Nightmare"

"Grrrr…Fine! Stupid thief! I'll accept your facts for now…if you're wrong about them being able to be defeated, I'll gut you!"

"Oooooh! Hear that, princey? She's gonna hurt me! I am so very, alarmingly frightened! I guess that I'll have to keep being truthful, huh?"

Keyran chuckled, but his amusement quickly turned into a series of coughs that wracked his whole body with twisting pain. He covered his mouth with his free gloved hand and muffled his coughs until they subsided a few moments later. He drew his hand away from his mouth, and the pale blue fabric was stained with his own blood.

Gaven frowned. "You really shouldn't be here; you know…fighting will worsen your condition."

Keyran smiled wanly. "I have to fight. My friend is in trouble…hmm? Wha? You two! Look toward the front of the ranks! That figure…!"

"Bloody hell! That's him! Why's he alone?"

"He's buying time for the village, perhaps. Does it even matter? You two, let us show those monsters how unwelcome they are here!"

Keyran's comrades nodded and the three charged down the dune with a battle cry, Keyran with his Rapier, Samsara with her Slim Sword, and Gaven with his Iron Blade.

Noir started when he heard a yell from the direction of the Revenants. He frowned, unknowing of the happenings of what was going on at the moment. He felt a tugging on his sleeve and scowled. "What is it, brat?" He growled.

Gabriella, uncaring of the foul mood the Summoner was in, tugged on his sleeve once more. "Aile! I know those people! They're from Marshel!"

Noir chuckled, delighted. His brother, the head of Shale, would have a blast with this unexpected surprise. Marshel's soldiers were known for being some of the finest in all of Verias. "Good for them…why does it matter, anyway? They're committing suicide, fighting those things like that…"

"Then help them! I know you can, so please, help them!"

Noir grinned. "What's in it for me?"

"What?"

"You heard me! What do I get in return for helping them?"

"What do you want, Aile?"

"Oh, the usual. Gold and such."

Gabriella stamped her feet angrily, grinding her heel into the toe of Noir's sandals. Noir winced and tried to pull away, but she kept the pressure on until he relented. "You win…but this time only! Next time you will have to pay me! Now, Gabriella…be my eyes!"

The princess smiled impishly, knowing that she had gotten what she had wanted.

She grabbed hold of Noir's sleeve and took off running, practically dragging her newfound protector behind her.

Lissom heard a yell and strained his eyes to see through the crowd of Revenants. Unable to see the source of the shouting, he shrugged and turned his attention to the twisted corpse of his father. The corpse was loosely grasping a blade which when he was alive, had on his person at all times. It was the Silver Blade, gleaming in the moonlight like a shard of a star that had somehow fallen to the earth in its purest form.

_Lances…lances beat swords! It doesn't matter how strong the sword is, a lance can beat it every time!_ Lissom thought to himself as he lunged forward, jabbing at his opponent with his Iron Lance. His lance bit into flash and punched through the corpse, but there was no reaction to the wound that had been given. He withdrew his lance and jumped to the side as his father wildly swung his Silver Blade at him. The strike was swift, despite the deceptively slow movements of the corpse. The blade caught Lissom across the chest, caving in the armor that protected him from the killing force of the blow.

The wind almost knocked out of him, Lissom backed up. He looked at his lance, gasping for air. He muttered a few words under his breath and launched himself up into the air, holding the lance with both hands as he came down, the lance pointing at his father. The moonlight glinted off the lance, and then vanished as it was absorbed into the lance.

Light gathered at the end of the lance and it burst as Lissom impaled his father, the blow striking him where his heart would be. The armor his father wore absorbed some of the impact, but the power of Lissom's strike punched the lance through it with ease. With a wheeze that sounded like a sigh, Lissom's father fell to the ground, unmoving.

Coldly he withdrew the lance and closed his eyes. "My apologies…but it had to be done, father. You shall be buried in due…time." His voice wavered, but his resolve remained intact as he opened his eyes and looked across the sands. The Revenants, mostly unarmed, were making their slow way towards Thyra. He narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on his lance once more, grasping it so tight that his knuckles split. The cool sensation brought relief to Lissom as he prepared to charge at his next foe.

"Did you wait long?" Clifton's voice called out, causing the Prince to turn. He shook his head in negation. "Not too long…for a moment, I thought I was going to have all the fun…"

"Good grief! What happened to your armor?" Helio exclaimed, his eyes widening. Lissom shrugged the concern away as he shook his head. He turned to face the crowd of undead. "Oh, nothing…what do you say that we get rid of these pests?"

Clifton and Helio nodded, grinning. Clifton hefted his Silver Sword as his horse pawed the sandy ground restlessly. Helio hopped off his horse and grasped his Javelin loosely. "If you fight on the ground, I'll do so as well, sire!" He stated with a grin. Lissom nodded and grinned back. "Let us fi—" He was interrupted as Lithia flew overhead. "Hey! There are some people fighting the Revenants at the rear of the group! We've got them pinned!" And with a salute of her Slim Lance, she flew back into the fray without waiting for a reply.

"This is good news!" Clifton shook his head in wonder.

"Well, we could stay here talking, or go out and aid them. Together, we fight!" Lissom replied and the three charged into battle. Muttering a couple of words, his left eye returned to its normal state.

Keyran ducked gracefully as the Revenant in front of him swung its axe wildly, Keyran's expression one of mild disinterest and restless impatience. He quickly retaliated with a couple slashes with his Rapier and moved on, uncaring if his foe still stood. His goal was to get to Lissom. Impatiently he slashed at a movement near him, and ended up locking blades with Gaven. "Lovely night, isn't it?" Gaven smiled cheekily, his dark brown hair trying to invade his clear blue eyes without success.

"Truly, it is indeed, good sir!" Keyran replied, mimicking Gaven's tone.

"Then I must bid you adieu. It was indeed an honor to meet you like this~" Gaven laughed heartily after giving a mocking bow, plunged back into combat with an actual foe. The prince chuckled and barely had time to drop to the ground as a large white object flew past him, charging into the ranks of monsters before rising up into the sky once more. He jumped back to his feet and heard the Pegasus Knight yell an apology as she circled in the air above him. He inclined his head and rushed the line once more. The ranks of the monsters were growing visibly thinner as he scanned the area. His eyes fell on Samsara, who was trying to fell three of the fiends at once. He changed his route and dashed in her direction, moving quickly through the gaps in the ranks of the enemy. He struck down one of the Revenants wordlessly. Samsara looked at him through the corner of her eye, seeing that he was holding up well, if not a little short of breath.

"You're faring well enough, I see…"

She saw a faint smile appear on Keyran's face. "Mhmm." He turned and attacked another monster with deadly efficiency. On the killing blow, however, they both heard an audible snap. About half of the length of Keyran's Rapier broke off, leaving him weaponless. He stared at it dumbfounded and backed away from an approaching foe. "Blast!" He cursed and he looked at Samsara. "Do you have any extra blades?" He nimbly dodged a axe strike.

Samsara nodded, finishing off her foe before turning to face him. She drew her other blade, an Iron Sword, and tossed it to him. "Catch!"

Keyran fumbled with the blade and it fell to the ground, and jumped after it. He grabbed the hilt and got to his feet, frowning slightly at the weight of his new weapon. He got over the feeling of having a different weapon and blocked an incoming attack. The impact jarred his arms, making them feel numb, but he shrugged that feeling away and turned to thank Samsara, but she had already moved on. The Revenants pulled away from the fighting and seemed to be clustering for one last charge. "I…I cannot relent now…!" He felt his throat tighten, foreshadowing a swiftly coming coughing fit. He hunched over, coughing into his hand once more, his body shuddering with each cough.

His attention to the surrounding area was lost, and he did not see an ominous figure walking toward him, garbed in black.

Suddenly a soft, yet caustic voice spoke. "Your vexatious coughing is incredibly annoying. Don't you have something better to do, such as fighting the enemy…?"

_This….this MORON had to break my concentration with that idiotic hacking of his! Wish he'd just die already! That way, he'd SHUT UP! _Noir's thoughts raged like a swarm of wasps. His concentration, which he had finally gained, had been broken by some man's coughing, and his tormentor, Princess Gabriella, nearly got killed because of that lapse.

"Don't get angry, Aile…he's always been like this. It's not his fault!" Gabriella's voice stated taking on a tone of worry. The coughing soon stopped, and a shaky voice called out. "G-Gabriella…? Thank the Gods you're alive!" Noir heard him sigh and felt the man's stare on him so, of course, he scowled. "Who's this…?"

Gabriella tugged annoyingly on Noir's right sleeve. "This is Aile! He saved me at Dias! Aile, this is Keyran, Prince of—"

"Marshel, I know. I recognize the name. Hmph. You should be resting, not fighting…"

"Do not tell me what I should and should not do. We must press onward, and finish off these…fiends"

"And you shall not give orders to—" He yelped as Gabriella warningly stomped on his feet once more. "Fine…Fine! I give up! What is your wish, my lord?" He hissed spitefully.

"I shall attack. Aile, you take Gabrielle to safety."

"No can do, _Lord_. I intend on fighting with you, even if it is just to annoy the hell out of you. Gabriella is my eyes at the moment…so we're all in this!" He replied with a shrug.

"…Fine. Let us attack at once, before they regroup."

"I swear…if you start coughing again…I'll use Nosferatu on you!"

"Mhmm…good luck with that."

And thus the trio harried the remaining Revenants.

_ "Blast! My precious puppets…they're nearly gone! I…I can't fail! They'll be sure to send…him…after me! I've got to win! I've got to win at all costs!" A shadowy figure whimpered in the darkness, away from the combat. He had animated the corpses like he had been told, and had attacked like he had been told…so why was he losing? The Tear of the Sun had been destroyed! He heard movement behind him and turned, his face draining of all color as he stared at the pale haired Swordmaster whom he had feared would come._

_ "It seems…that you will fail" The Swordmaster stated in a rather disgusted tone. _

_ "P-please! Give me one more chance! I promise I'll succeed next time!"_

_ There was a deadly quiet silence._

_ "You fully know what failure means to the Black Fang. There is no room for error, especially not for a bottom feeder like you"_

_ "L-liam! Please! Don't do this! I-I can b ring your family back!"_

_ "…delightful as that sounds, no one can truly bring back the dead. Just look at the corpses you control. I would not wish that for them."_

_ "What If I told you that your daughter is alive?"_

_ "You lie."_

_ "Kill me and you will never find out!"_

_ "I'll find her myself!" A wicked looking blade flashed through the air, cutting down the shadowy figure. The pale haired man turned, a scar could be seen on his face, crossing over his right eye. His expression turned thoughtful. "My daughter…alive? Could this filth…actually have been telling the truth?" He sighed and vanished into the night._

Before Lissom's group could finish the Revenants off, they all collapsed as if they were puppets whose strings had been cut. His expression one of purest confusion, Lissom looked around. Helio and Clifton were looking around, voicing their exclamations. Lithia gracefully landed, dismounting her Pegasus. She nearly sank to the ground in exhaustion.

"What the heck happened?" Lissom fell to the ground, on his back with a exhalation of breath he did not know he had been holding.

"…Lissom! Get up! You've got to see this!" Helio dragged a grumbling Lissom to his feet. Standing a little ways in front of them were five people approaching. His eyes focused on a shorter, slighter figure and his eyes widened; his heart beat quicker, hope rising within him. "Is that…?" He staggered forward and nearly fell, Clifton catching his arm, keeping him standing. Lissom mumbled noncommittally, his eyes only on the people ahead. The smaller figure saw him, perhaps, and took off running, dragging someone by the arm. Realization dawned on Lissom's face and he broke free of Clifton's helping hand and charged forward, flinging his lance to the side. He and his sister who he had thought dead stopped a couple feet from each other. Lissom fell to his knees his hands balling into fists in the sand as he silently wept, losing all composure. His sister, his dearest sister…was alive!

"B-brother! Why are y-you crying?"

"I-I'm just so…happy…I-I can't control myself!"

Gabriella laughed and hugged her brother, as tight as she could. "I'm so happy you're alive!"

Lissom winced as she hugged him tightly. "Gabby…you're choking me…" He wheezed. Gabriella released her embrace and saw her brother's mangled armor. "Ooh! That doesn't look very good!"

Her brother threw his head back and laughed. "Well, yeah…It doesn't feel very good, either!"

"Then why do you still have it on! Off with it! Now!"

"W-whoa! What are you?"

"What do you think? I'm helping you get it off!" She reached around him, untying the bindings of his breastplate. He eventually caught on and took it off, sighing in relief. "Geez…Why do you always mother me?"

"Because I can and will! You're my brother!"

A voice cut in on this reunion. "Gabriella…why did you drag me here just to hear such a sickening reunion? I swear, I'm going to vomit!"

Gabriella turned and glared at Noir. "Aile you idiot! Where would you know where to go if I didn't drag you?"

"What am I, a pet?"

"That's not a bad idea!"

"Umm…sister…? Who is this strange looking man?"

"Hmph! Strange? You're just as polite as your sister, I see!"

Gabriella looked at her brother, who was glaring at Noir, who was glaring back in Lissom's general direction. The two did not seem to 'hit it off' as she had hoped. She shrugged and opened her mouth to speak. "Aile, this is my brother, Prince Lissom of Haddas! Brother…this is Aile, who saved me at Dias and…I convinced him to protect me!"

"You utter tyrant of a girl! You left me with no other choices! You…you won't even pay me!" Noir's voice was plaintive.

Lissom got to his feet. "My sister is NOT a tyrant!" He growled.

"…You two. Cut it out now, if you please. Arguments are not good for one's health, especially after battle…" A soft voice cut through the loud voices with surprising clarity. Lissom turned and smiled. "Keyran! It's been a long time!" Keyran smiled back in return and nodded. "Truly, it has been, Lissom of Haddas. I suppose you also remember Samsara and Gaven…?" At his mentioning of them, they appeared at his side.

"Oh! Lance boy!"

Lissom's eyes narrowed at Samsara. "…You're the one who fell asleep in class all the time…"

"You want to fight? Bring it on!"

"I still have not had the pleasure of seeing Samsara's sleeping face…What a pity. I see you are doing quite well, Princey!" Gaven smiled cheerily.

"You again…?" Lissom sighed warily "You better not steal any more of my—"

"I assure you, I will not take anything belonging to you" Gaven gave an elegant bow with a flourish of his hand and grinned.

"Ugh…"

Extra: Support Conversations.

_Thought I'd add a little fun by putting some in each chapter from here on out. _

_This chapter, the Support Conversations will be between Keyran and Lissom, as well as Samsara and Gaven. Enjoy!_

_Keyran and Lissom. C support._

Lissom: Keyran! How are you holding up, friend?

Keyran: I am well as of the moment, Lissom of Haddas. Your kindness heartens me.

Lissom: Don't be so formal! Remember all the adventure we had before…you know…_it_ happened.

Keyran: You mean, before this illness came upon me? Yes, I do believe that I remember those…misadventures quite fondly, as I recall.

Lissom: Ugh! You always talked like that! Remember the time where I fell into quicksand?

Keyran: Heh…that was the time I saved you by fishing you out with some kind of thorned vine, was it not?

Lissom: …oh, yeah. It was? Yeah, it was! That hurt, you know!

Keyran: There was nothing else I could use. Besides, it hurt me as much as it hurt you, if not more. You were wearing gloves, at least. I had forgotten mine at Dias.

Lissom: Yeah…remember how angry our parents were at us?

Keyran: Mhmm…that part I remember not so fondly. We were…what was that term again? Ah, we were both reprimanded, but I have learned a valuable lesson from that experience.

Lissom: Yeah? What lesson was that?

Keyran: Always have gloves with you. And from that point on, I always had a pair with me at all times. In fact, I am wearing gloves now, it seems.

Lissom: …You really are too serious for your own good. It's not healthy.

Keyran: That it might be, but forgetting your strengths and weaknesses are detrimental to one's heath as well. The Captain of your Knights…Clifton…told me of how you tried to take down an axe wielder with a lance? That was very unintelligent of you, Lissom of Haddas.

Lissom: S-shut up! I can be as 'unintelligent' as I want! *he leaves*

Keyran: ….hmm. He has always been so reckless…perhaps I could learn a thing or two from him.

_Samsara and Gaven. C support._

Gaven: Ah…Samsara. Every time my eyes lay upon your form, I am blinded by such exquisite beauty…

Samsara: What do you want, Gaven? You only flatter people when you want something…

Gaven: Oh, the beauty's coldness sets my heart aflame! Ahem…Do you perchance have a Vulnerary? I have been grievously injured and am in need of one, oh the moon and stars of my life!

Samsara: 'Grievously injured'? From what I see, 'tis not but a flesh wound! Since I'm in a relatively tolerant mood however, so here, take this. I always keep extra of them with me.

Gaven: Heavens bless thee fair maiden, and an angel of mercy you truly are! I thank thee for aiding me again and again! My reverence for you increases evermore! Know that I am truly devoted to your cause, milady…

Samsara: You should seriously learn keep some with you, Gaven. I swear, this is the fifth time this has happened. Don't you learn?

Gaven: Alas, how else would I get a chance to speak with a goddess such as yourself? I bask in the presence of such integrity!

Samsara: Now you're just making fun of me! I'm not a good person, and you know it!

Gaven: Such modesty! Ah…parting with you tears my heart in pieces, but I must return to battle. I shall strike down all my foes in your name!

Samsara: Hehehehe….go, then! You're making me laugh!

Gaven: Samsara…?

Samsara: Yes?

Gaven: Thank you. *He bows, then leaves*

Samsara: He's impossible to understand, that man…Ugh!


End file.
